Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Objective: To explore the impact of experimental learning by nutrition education on dental students��? theoretical concepts related to behavior change, motivation to change their own diet-related behavior and further to improve their attitudes towards patient education about diet-related behavior. Methodology: A convenient sample of 120 dental students was invited to participate in a three-week experiential exercise concerned with their own diet and a change in one self-identified diet-related behavior. A 5 day diet history was taken and assessed by Nizzle criteria. The impact of nutrition education was assessed after 1week, 3 week and 1month. Results: The students agreed that it was important to change their own diet-related behavior. Majority of participants at the end of 1st week believed that they had changed how they felt and thought about the targeted behavior and what they actually did. At the end of 1 month they rated the exercise as helpful for gaining a better understanding of health education theories and it had helped them understand the difficulty of diet-related behavior change and further it had increased their interest in helping patients change their diet-related behavior. Conclusion: Experiential learning by nutrition education is likely to affect students��? own behavior positively and to result in increased understanding of behavior change theories and positive behavioral intentions concerning future health education efforts with patients.

Biography

Email: dr.amandeepchopra@gmail.com